Gripper for smokers&#39; stands



May 11 I926. 1,584,024

R. LE -[N 'GRIPPER FOR SMOKERS "JSTANDS Origihl'Filed Feb. 21; 1925 ATTPRNEYS I Patented May 11, 1926.

r- UNITED STATES.

, 1, 4,024 PATENT OFFICE.

nonnnr s. FLEMING, or nrooiurrrmn, mew JERSEY, assrenoa T sno mnon MAN racrunme 00. Inc, on NEW YonK, n. Y., A CORPORATION or nnnawenn.

- emrrnn non smoxnn's' s'ranns. v

Original application filed February 21, 1925, Serial ital 0,734. Divided and this application filed April 10,1925. Serial No. 22,056. 7

- This invention relates to improvements in grippingdevices and more particularly in some ofvits aspects to'improvements in a gripper particularly adapted as an accessory for smokers stands for holding cigars,

cigarettes etc. in position thereon. Y A

It is a general object of the invention to provide a gripper 015 1118 class mentioned which is light, strong and inexpensive in 10 manufacture, and having structural and functional advantages particularly adapting it for the purpose mentioned.

A further object is to provide a practical gripper of the class mentioned with an improved and simple device for attaching it to a support without mutilation of the latter. A further obj ect-is to provide an improved gripper of the class mentioned particularly adapted for firmly holding cigars, cigarettes, etc.and providing for easy insertion of-the latter in gripped position, beingarranged to avoid injury thereto during insertion and while held thereby. l Other objects will inpart be obvious in connection with the following detailed description, and in part pointed out therein.

The invention accordingly comprises the x of aws 16 of. suitable sheet material preferfeatures of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the appli cation of.which will be indicated in the claims. For a complete disclosure of thenature and objects of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing disclosing an illustrative but preferred-embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a tiltable selfrighting smokers stand equipped with the improved gripping. device.;'

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the gripper, parts being shown in elevation;

divided fromprior application Serial Humher 10,7 34;, filed February 21, 1925..

plate 11. provedgrippers are positioned on the frame i jury to the latter.

Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing for a detailed description of. the embodiment of the invention there shown, a plurality of grippers 10 for cigars, cigarettes and the like are shown as attached to an upper supporting 0 plate or'frame piece 11 of the smokers stand 12'. -The stand need not be described in detail herein, but reference thereto is made to show the manner of application .of the gripper thereto and .toindicate its particular utility in connection with the stand. The stand is preferably of the tilting self-right ing type, always returning to upright posi- 'tion when tilted by virtue of a relatively heavy weight indicated at 13 and disposed at the bottom of the'rec'e'ptacle part 14 of the stand. A; tubular neck 15 extends be tween'the receptacle 14 providing a restricted passageway thereto from an entrance mouth opening through the upper face of the frame One or a plurality of the implate 11 adjacent the entrance mouth so the cigars etc. may be held'adjacent said mouth and retained by the-gripper in spite o-f'a-ccidental-or other tipping of the stand.

The gripper construction embodies a pair ably sheet brass being formed for rigidity, lightness and simplicity of construction in channeled cross-section having outwardly directed flanges 17, and juxtaposed webs 18 forming a smooth continuous surface forcontacting with the gripped articles, and being provided with opposed concavities for the reception of the articles. Beyond these concavities the free ends of the jaws are provided with upwardly and outwardly di vergent surfaces 19 preferably curved and arranged for providing a smooth contact A .surface for engagement with'the entering article and being-especially adapted to avoid The webs '18 are preferably discontinuous adjacent the lower ends of the jaws and the flanges 17 are extended inwardly toward each other to provide overlapping lugs 20-, and a pin 21 extends through these lugs for "pivotally connecting the jaws toward the lower ends thereof. The pivoted pin 21 pref- 1 erably extends across-the channel between the opposing flanges of, the "jaws; and; a; U? shaped yoke or-l-ink 22 bows around Said pin, its. legs extendlmgthrough anrapertilfe-fii formed through the frame plate;1 1- et the;

I opposite side ofjthe plate 11,.the legs are. yieldingly connected to the-plate preferably the lower ends of through the medium of a leaf spring'24 having an opening through which the legs of the yoke extend. A pin 26 passes through the legs for bindingthe yoke to the sprin 24. The ends of the leaf spring are upwar dly oifset. as shown to provide contact surfaces withthe frame plate 11, thus providing a space betweenthe body of the spring and the lower face of the i frame plate.

Lower ends of the 16 are shaped to provide fiat surfaces 27 intersecting the outer.

edges of the aws at an angle so as to provide fulcrums 28 contactingwith the surfaceof frame plate 11. It will be observed that thesefulcrums are disposed at oppositesides of theconnecting link 22 being in free 'sup-.

jaws when the latter porting contact with the face of the support function as rockers for the are moved to or from position; When the jaws are ing plate 11 and gripping 0 ened-and closed, thisrocking action takes I p ace, the pivot pin oscillating tow'ard and y. the spring 24 Whenan article is placed between the jaws as indicated in dot' and dash lines in Fig. 3',

p the stressedspring 24 tends to causethe jaws to rock toward each other over the :fulcrums 28, thus gripping the article in position.

Due to the fact that the jaws are constantly. each other, a'Jighted cigar or cigarette gripped by the jaws will be snuffed urged toward or extinguished by action of the latter when the cigar or cigaretteburnsup tothe plane of the gripper aws. Premature for accijdental release of thefcigar or cigarette, which Twould happen if the burning wereto continue beyond the. plane of the gripper jaws, will thus be prevented.

- From the foregoing description, will seen that the gripper may be .readily attached securely in opprative position on the supporting plate wit outmutilation of said plate, the only modification being the formaperform its c lined divergent surfaces 19 contact with the aided by pressure on the upper tion of the hole 23 through the plate. W11en the gripper is attached to the plate by this simpleexpedient, it operates effectively to described function. The 'inarticle when the latter is lowered into position to-be gripped by the jaws, the contact tending to force the jaws apart so the article or separation of the j awsmay be may enter,

downward and outward manual end of either jaw. Due tothe pivotal connection 21 between the V jaws, and the positioning of the fulcrums 28 as described, opening movement of onejaw is transmitted to move the other j aw similar-' ly but oppositely, so the two V unison both in closing and opening movejaws coact in ments.

'to move upwardly fromsupporting plate 11 and stressing whenfthe' jaws; are separated.

Another attrib te of It'will be observed furthermore that -tl1e connection I described for'zlholding thejaws in cooperative position upon-the supporting plate is so arranged as to permit rocking movement of the two gripper jawsas a unit in any directlon upon their'supporting con .tact with the supporting plate 11.- In such frocking movement, no matter in what direction, it will be yieldingly resisted by means of the resilient connection including the spring 124 byreason of the .fact' that such rocking movement will cause the spring to be stressed. This function will be clear from Figs. 2and 4, it being apparent from these figures that during such tilting or rocking movement the combined jaw unit will fulcrum about the; outeredge Of'itS base or contact surface so as to causethe link 22 and place the spring under compression; This feature of the gripper is particularly advantageous when it is employed in connection with ash trays or the like for smokersuse as permit:

yielding in' any direction "when a cigar or cigarette is inserted or removed, thus minimiz ng the danger of injuryto the delicate wrappers;- Also this cushioning connection yielding-of the jaws as a unit, as for. example, when struck by any external object,.thus preventing breaking or injury to the .jawsio'r to the support.

the connection described resides in the fact that 'thejaws are connected to thefsupporting plate for swivelling-movement, that is,'they may ropresentrupon the tray, such for example as the handle or bail shown adjacent the grippers 10 in Fig. 1. v

hen the jaws open or close and when they rock together as -a unit as above described, it will be observed that the pivot 21- forming the point of attachment-for the link 22 oscillates or fioats relatively to the supporting plate 11, the link 22 oscillating correspondingly so as tovary the degree of compression of the spring 24. The connection for the jaw unit being located intermediate the extremities of the rocker surfaces and being generally centrally located with reference to said rocker surfaces, and the spring 24 always being under stress, the tendency is,

to resiliently urge thefloating pin 21 toward the supporting plate and thus to urge the jaws toward closed position. For the same reasons the resilient connection described tends to move the jaws as, a unit toward upright position when they have been rocked 111 diflerent directions from said upright po- Sition. It will be seen furthermore that when either one of the jaws is urged toward open position, as by engagement of a cigar or the like, the companion jaw will be freed to similar opening movement in the opposite direction, permitting thecigar to pass freely into position to be gripped by the jaws.

Since certain changes may be made. in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing fromthe scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accom-- panying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative'and 'not,in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood. that the followingclaims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and'all statements of the scope of the invention which, asa matter of language, might be said to fall'therebetween. Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by'Letters-Patentyis: 1. In a device of the character. described, in combination, a support, a pair of cooperating" gripper jaws operatively connected to 'each other for opening and closing movement, a resilient connection for holding said gripper jaws inoperative position upon said support, said resilient connection also cooperating to hold said gripper aws in. contactwith said support so that movement of one jaw in opening'direction frees the companion jaw tdsimilar but oppositelydirected opening movement.- 1 L 2. 'In a device of the, character described, in combination, -a frame plate 11 ;ving an aperture, a pair of cooperative gri per jaws having free diver ,"ends, a spring bearing against said frani plate 'on the side thereof opposite from saidfjaws, and aconnecting link between said spring-and said jaws'passing through said aperture, said spring being stressed for urging said jaws toward gripping position and-said connecting link being connected to said jaw s'at a point thereon movable to and from said frameplate as the jaws close and open; a

3. In a device pf the'character described, in combination, a frame piece having 'an aperture, a pin 'at one side of saidpiece, a spring bearing against said frame piece at the opposite side thereof from said pin, a pair of cooperative pivotally connected grippcr jaws mounted on said pin having dii-erging free ends, a link extending through said aperture, operatively connecting said pin and spring and adapted to stress said spring when the jaws are opened, the bases ment on said frame piece to cause said pin,

to riseand fall relative to said frame piece as the jaws open and close. 4.111 a device of the character described, in combination, a frame piece having an aperture, a pin, at one side of said piece, a spring bearing against said frame piece at the opposite side thereoffrom said pin, a pair' of cooperative pivotally connected gripper jaws-mounted on said pin having diverging .free ends, a link extending through said aperture, operativcly connecting said pin and spring and adapted to stress said spring when the jaws are opened, the bases of said jaws being flat and intersecting their sides at an angle.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, a frame plate having an aperture, a pin atone side of said plate, a spring bearing against said plate at the side thereof opposite said pin, a pair 'of cooperative gripper jaws mounted for pivotal movement on said pin and having diverging free ends, a link connected-to. said pin'and extend- -ing through the aperture in said frame plate and through an aligning. aperture in said spring and connected to the latter, and ;fu"lcrums on said jaws contacting with said frame plate at op osite sides ofsaid link.

6. In a device f the character described, in combination, a frame piece having an ap erture, a pin atbfieside of said frame piece, a pair of cooperative oscillatablc gripper jawsconnectcd to said pin and having fiattened bases providing spa'cedfulcrums contacting with said frame piece, a leaf spring bearing against 'saidframe piece at the side thereof'opposite said pin, and a link con-- nected to said pin and said spring and 0.x-

in combination, a. supporting plate, a pair of cooperative gripper jaws each being channeled in cross-section with outwardly directed flanges and adjacent web sections, said jaws being pivoted together and having divergent contact surfaces at the free ends thereof, and aconnection from said jaws to said supporting plate holding said jaws in contact with said plate and thereby tending to urgesaid jaws into-coopcrativc gripping relation. 4 I

'9. In a device of the characterdescribed, in combination, a supporting plate, apair of cooperating'gripper j aws-cach being channeled in cross-section with outwardly directbetween said pin and said supporting plate jaws Outstanding fromthe supporting face of said supporting plate. and each of-which is provided' at its base with a supporting.

v ble thereon to and from gripping position isoporting plate. and being pivotally connected v'itogetlier, and means. for connecting 'said jaws to said plate.

10. -In adevice .of the character described, in combination, a supporting plate, a pair of cooperating gripper jawseach being Channeled in cross-section with outwardly direct-Q ,ed flanges and adjacent web sections, "said flanges being shaped at their ends to form spaced tulcrums contacting with said sup- I v'portingplate, overlapping lugs extended from said flanges inwardly fromsaid ful crums, a p1n=coiinected to said lugs for pivotally. connect ng the aws, and a connection extending'through th'elatter.

silient connectionfrom said jaws to said mall t olding the jawsin'c'ontact with said supporting plate and thereby tending 'to urge the'jaws into cooperative gripping po-' "sition and constituting the sole attaching means for attaching the jaws" upon said suport. v 12. --In a device of; the character described, in combination, asupporting plate, a pair.

of cooperative pivotal y-"co'nn'ected gripper rocker surface in rocking supporting contact with said supporting face'being rockrelatively to each 0tl161,'2111d a resilient connection from said jaws -to said supporting plate positionedintermediate said rocker surfaces tending to urge said roekable jaws into gripping relation. v v 4 13. .In a device of the character described, in combination, a 'support,'a gripperflunit including a pair of cooperative gripper jaws operatively connected together for opening and closingmovement, said unit having a .rocker'bearing contact surface, in frees'upporting contactwith said support whereby said gripper unit may roclr as a unit 1n dlfw vJI'ei'ent directions, and a'resilient connection for holding said gripper unit upon said support, saidresil ent connection being centrally positioned with relationto said rocker surface so asto yieldingly cushion said gripper unit against unitary rocking movement in different directions.

14. Iii-a 'deviceof the character described,

1 11. In a device of the character described," in combination, apair of gripper jaws'mov-I ableitoward-and away from each other, a .supportforfi supporting said jaws .anda reture in said supporting-plate so as to sup-' support and including an oscillatablecon-- \nectin' link,'sai d resilient connection nor-' in combination, a support, a -gripper unit includinga pair of gripper jaws ope'rativeing contact surface in' free supporting'contact- With said support and a resilient connection for holding said gripper unit upon said support, said connection being positioned centrally of said contact surface: and connecting the gripper unit for swiveling movement upon said sup ort. i

15; In a device of the character described, in- ,combination, a supporting plate, :tpair of cooperative'gripper aws operatively con-- nectedto each other and'being in free sup porting contact with said supporting plate for rocking movement thereon as a unit in .differentdirections, and: a connection resilientl holding said gripper jaws incooperative position on said supporting plate andyieldinglyscushioning them against said unitary rocking movement, saidconnection including allink extending through "an aperport the jaws for swiveling movement as a in combination, a gripper unit including a pair of gripper jaws operatively connected together foropening and closing movement,

a support forsaid gripper unit and a single re'silient connection yieldingly holding said gripper unit in contact with said support thereby to yieldingly urge said jaws into cooperative gripping relation. I

17 In a device of the character described,

in combination, a support, a gripper unit 3 including a pair of gripper jaws operatively connected together for opening andclosing movement, each of said gripper jaws having a supporting contact surface in free supporting contact with said support, said con-,-

tact surfaces forming rocker bearingsfor rockably supporting the jaws, and a stressed v yielding connection from said support ,to

said gripper unit for holding said unit upon said support, the line of stress of said connection being positioned intermediate the outer limits of said rocker bearings so as to urge said jaws to move upon theirbearings into cooperative gripping relation.

.18. In a device of the character described, in combination, a support, a gripper unit including a pair of gripper jaws operatively connected together by a floating pivotal connection and ,having supporting Contact surfaces spaced at opposite sides of} said pivotal connection and in free contact witl said support, and a resilient supporting connection from said floating pivot to said support. In testimony whereol I aflix my signature.

ROBERT G.- FLEMING. 

